Blasting mat



United States Patent [72] Inventor Eric H. Berg 1,071,790 9/1913 Pratt 140/3(B) Radstugugatan 53, Nora Stad, Sweden 2,038,535 4/1936 Brenizer 287/75 [21] Appl. No. 721,308 2,367,206 1/1945 Davis 285/417 [2 Filed April 1 1968 FOREIGN PATENTS [451 Patented 1970 432,130 9/1911 France 245/9 Primary ExaminerRichard J. Herbst Attorney-Fred C. Philpitt [54] BLASTING MAT 1 Claim 5 Drawing Figs. ABSTRACT: A blasting mat is formed of a plurality of inter- U.S. connected rings wherein each of the rings is formed ofa length 245/9 of deformable material the opposite ends of which are rigidly [S Int. interconnected opposite ends ofa connecting leeve The [50] Field of Search 245/5, 9, 1, rings are f bl f d f wire The mat includes a m.

3, 2 285/4l7,418; /3(B) rality of rows of rings, and each ring of one row may be connected with a ring of an adjacent row, or alternate rings of ad- [56] References and jacent rows may be interconnected with one another. Double UNITED STATES PATENTS rings may be provided around the periphery of the mat, or the 600,212 3/1898 Woodman 245/9 entire mat may be formed of double rings. Rings at the corners 1,010,858 12/191 1 Carnagy 245/9 of the mat are at least partially covered with resilient material.

Patented Nov. 10, 1970 7 Patented Nov. 10,1970

Sheet 2 012 BLASTING MAT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a mat adapted to be placed over an area to be blasted to prevent splinters and blaster particles of material from damaging the surrounding area.

Prior art blasting mats have been formed from chains, iron wires, thick wires, thick textiles and rubber strips generally made from tires which are held together by means of chains or wires. These types of prior art constructions are excessively heavy and hard to handle, and are of such a construction that the explosive gases generated during blasting cannot readily escape. Additionally, such known arrangements are relatively expensive in construction due to the fact that they require a considerable amount of material and effort in the manufacture thereof. Additionally. conventional blasting mats cannot be easily assembled and repaired in the field.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is formed of a plurality of interconnected rings each of which comprises a length of deformable material the opposite ends of which are rigidly connected to a connecting sleeve. The deformable material of the rings which preferably comprises wire has been found to be very satisfactory in use, and for a given size is of much lighter construction than prior art blasting mats whereby the mat can be conveniently handled by one man.

The deformable and ductile characteristics of the mat enabled it to catch stones when covering an area where stones are present. In some cases the mat may be used in combination with a coarse cloth such as paper machine felt in order to catch smaller stone splinters.

The blasting mat of the present invention is of an open construction so that the explosive gases readily pass through the mat thereby reducing to a minimum the possibility of the mat being thrown about in an undesired manner at detonation.

The amount of braking force at a given blasting site may be readily increased by using several mats according to the present invention superimposed on one another. Since the rings of the mat of the present invention can be readily interconnected at the jobsite, the size of the mat can be lengthened as required to cover larger surfaces and additionally can be repaired in a simple and effective manner by cutting wire lengths as required and joining the opposite ends of these lengths with the connecting sleeves of the invention.

The blasting mat according to the present invention provides a very simple and inexpensive arrangement, yet one which is quite sturdy and efficient in operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top view of a portion of a blasting mat according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating still another modified form of the invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of an individual ring of a blasting mat according to the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, a first form of the invention is illustrated in FIG. I which shows a cornerof a blasting mat, it being understood that the remainder of the blasting mat would be of substantially the same construction.

The blasting mat is indicated generally by reference numeral in FIG. 1 and includes a plurality of individual rings 12 provided in the center portion of the mat. The rings in the center of the mat are very seldom broken, but the rings around the outer periphery of the mat have a greater tendency to break. Accordingly, the outer periphery of the mat may be formed by a plurality of double rings indicated generally by reference numeral 14, each of these double rings comprising a pair of rings similar to the individual rings 12 and disposed adjacent one another.

A double ring indicated by reference numeral I6 is provided at the corner of the mat, and this ring is at least partly covered by a member 18 which may for example comprise a length of rubber hose which facilitates handling of the mat at its corner. Each of the corners of the mat may be similarly provided with a covered ring means.

As seen in FIG. 1, the portion of the mat illustrated includes three horizontally extending rows of rings including the upper row of double rings and the two rows therebeneath of single rings. In this form of the invention, each of the rings in a horizontal row is interconnected with the adjacent rings in the same row. Additionally, each of the rings in one of the horizontal rows is interconnected with the rings of the adjacent horizontal rows which are disposed in the same vertical row of rings.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the construction of an in dividual ring of the blasting mat according to the present in vention is illustrated. The completed rings are generally circu lar in configuration and comprise a length of deformable material 20. This length of material is preferably wire and may comprise a plurality of strands of wire wound upon one another in the usual manner. The opposite ends of the length of material as seen in FIG. 5 are indicated by reference numerals 22 and 24. These opposite ends of the length of material are received within the opposite open ends of an elongated connecting means 30 which is of tubular sleeve construction and comprises a deformable metallic material.

The opposite ends of the length of material 20 are rigidly secured within the connecting means 30 as by crimping or the like indicated by reference characters 32 and 34.

It is apparent that the blasting mat may be readily assembled by interconnecting the various rings in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1, this interconnection being enabled by the fact that the length of material of each ring may be assembled in desired position with respect to adjacent rings and then the opposite ends of the ring joined with one another by a connecting sleeve.

Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawings, a modified form of blasting mat is illustrated. In this form of the invention, the components which correspond to the components of FIG. 1 have been given the same reference numerals primed. The mat 10' as shown in FIG. 2 differs from the mat shown in FIG. 1 only in that the entire mat of the modified form of the invention is formed of double rings 14.

Referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawings, still another form of the invention is illustrated. In this modification, the components which correspond to those shown in FIG. 1 have been given the same reference numerals double primed. The only difference between the structure shown in FIG. 3 and that shown in FIG. 1 is that instead of having each ring of each row of rings connected with the rings of adjacent rows, only alternate ones of the rings in each row are interconnected with the rings of adjacent rows.

As seen in FIG. 3, three horizontally extending rows of rings are provided including the upper row of double rings and the two rows therebeneath of single rings. Additionally, three vertical rows of rings are illustrated including the right-hand most vertical row of double rings and the two adjacent vertical rows of single rings.

All of the rings in each horizontal row are interconnected with one another. On the other hand, only the rings in alternate vertical rows are interconnected with the rings in an adjacent horizontal row. Accordingly, the rings in the two ontermost vertical rows as seen in this FIG. are connected with the rings of adjacent horizontal rows, while the rings in the intermediate vertical row are not interconnected with the rings of adjacent horizontal rows. It will of course be understood that this construction is continued throughout the entire area of the mat.

It should be understood that the rings in all forms of the invention are of substantially the same construction whether single or double rings are employed, and regardless of the manner of interconnection of rings in adjacent rows.

l claim:

1. A strong reliable blasting mat consisting of:

a. a network comprising a plurality of generally parallel horizontal rows of interconnected single rings;

b. each single ring in each horizontal row being looped through the interior of at least two adjacent single rings;

c. each ring comprising a length of metallic wire that has 

